Kansai~

 So~
I'm finally in Japan now :D Sorry for being really slow with updating =[
I've been too busy this last month OTL (wow, I've already been here a month *___*)

So, let's try to summarize~
In Kyoto, Nara and Osaka I did a lot of sightseeing, shopping and eating :D
I love Japanese kare- (curry) <3 It's delicious!

Left Norway on sunday morning, arrived in Japan on Monday afternoon. We were all super tired and felt like poo.

But after a quick rest at the hostel we were ready for some dinner :]

(Japan is very warm in the summer, July/August, so after a couple of days we figured out how all the Japanese stay so fresh and dry looking; they wear layers.

If you wanna look nice and dry in Japan during summer, wear 2-3 shirts at the same time! When it's already that warm and humid, one more shirt wont make any difference anyway, except that you'll -look- dry XD Also, you can buy "anti sweat" t-shirts that don't show off sweat that much, and if you go to a kusuri shop/drug store, you can find cooling spray XD This might not sound so important, but now I somehow don't understand how I could ever live without! )

On Tuesday, we just hung out and bought things we needed. We also went to karaoke for the first time! :D (well, the first time this time around)

I love karaoke *_____* And it's so cheap! Usually, you also get "nomihoudai", which means "drink as much as you want to" for some 2 hours or so.

But if you don't know Japanese, it can be hard to find songs... or even order a room >___<;;

(In Japan they have awesome karaoke places were you get your own room, instead of embarassing karaoke bars)

Next time, I will amongst other things write about Nara :]

Since I have a ton of pictures and stuff to write, I have to split it up a bit >___<;;

Plus, I'm still busy so I don't have a lot of time to write a looong post >___<; sorry!

またね!

See you later!

two days to go~

So I'm back after a long break XD Munching on tempura nori *___*

I didn't have that much to write, seeing as I was waiting impatiently for the paperwork to get processed... all while dealing with exams, work, computer dying and summervacation ^^;;

But now everything is going fairly smooth and paperwork is done! :D
And that's good, because I'm leaving on Sunday/in two days >____<;;

Soon I'll be in Tokyo *____* waaaaaaah! Can't wait!

(But I miss my room in Oslo ;____; (in picture))

Amongst other things, I had to fill out some 4 pages or so to apply to the university (they wanted to know all sorts of things, like whether or not I smoke, my hobbies, if I have a criminal record...), send in copies of my grades, send pictures of myself, send a copy of my passport, register at the embassy in Japan etc

Luckily there was a checklist to go through and nice teachers to remind me XD

~finally time to relax~

So now that I have my visa and my money (usually, you have to be able to document that you have a certain amount of money in your bank account to support your stay in Japan), I'm ready, set, go!

The flight will take some 14 hours, but luckily I'm going with two good friends ^^ (the flight from Europe to Tokyo really drags out if you have to sit with strangers ._____. don't do it if you don't have to LOL)

So next time I write, I'll be in Japan~

<3

Sapporo, maybe?

So, I've finally handed in the first application for studying in Japan.

It was just a fairly informal one, where I had to chose between schools. It was still hard, though =(

After a long time thinking, talking to my teacher, my senpais and discussing with friends, I came to the decision that I will go to Hokkaido Tokai, a university close to Sapporo.

I just hope I'll be accepted >___<

This is the third time I've decided, and I hope I don't have to change my mind again >__<;

It's sad knowing I'll go to Japan without seeing sakura, but it will be interesting to be there during fall too :)

I wonder how different it'll be, being up in the north during fall...?

I hope it wont be as cold and snowy as here in Norway XD haha

楽しみ *___*

First "midterm" is done ^^;

I passed it (with a good grade), though I wish I didn't do stupid small mistakes =/

I hope it will be spring soon.

I'm tired of grey weather and too much snow.

And I hope everything will turn out fine =3

If anyone have any good ideas about things to do/see in Sapporo/Hokkaido in the fall, please tell me <3

I would love to know more ^^

Hello =)

Hi!
As I said in the blog introduction, this is my first ever blog, and it will be about me and my experiences with and in Japan.
I'm currently studying East Asian studies, with Japanese as my major.
I've been to Japan once before, and this fall I will go there again as an exchange student *___*
I'm very excited! (I -must- pass my exams now! Ahaha)

I decided to start writing now, because there are lots of preparations to do before I go there (I hope to go in August), so for others who might want to go there too, it might be helpful information ^^;

The paperwork has already started, so inbetween tests and essays and part-time job, for now, I have made sure that my passport is ready and I have to fill out a form to apply to schools >____<;
I haven't yet managed to decide completely, but I think I will apply to a university in Chiba prefecture, called Josai international university.
The other option is in Hokkaido, which.... will be cold and similar to Norway in the winter D:
I really don't like cold weather, so I'd rather go to somewhere near Tokyo >____<;;;
(I originally wanted to go to Kansai, but because there are so few students this year, they removed that school from the list *cry*)

So, for now, I have these pro's and con's to go by;
Chiba-->
Small town, might be boring and not so pretty
Lots of foreigners, harder to get to know Japanese people
Many of my friends closeby
Cheaper school fee
Closer to all the places I wanna go to
Warmer
Closer to airport=cheaper travel
Nicer apartment

Hokkaido-->
Less foreigners, easier to get to know Japanese people
Not so many of my friends there
Better school
More expensive
Further to travel
Far away
Cold
Snow
Good food
Dormitory (smaller and share kitchen+curfew)
Nice scenery


どしょう~
What do you think? >____<;;


If anyone have suggestions to what they want to hear about, please comment and tell me <3

Take care ^__^